Black Alumni of Notre Dame (BA of ND) Records
Content Description
This collection documents the history, governance, programming, and operations of the Black Alumni of Notre Dame (BA of ND) from 1985 through 2013, with additional related background materials dating back to 1962. Materials detail the activities and administrative functions of the group, including board correspondence, membership directories, alumni surveys, and promotional planning materials. The collection highlights major milestones, such as anniversary celebrations and triennial reunions.
The collection also documents the life of African American students at the University of Notre Dame. Records include African American Graduation Recognition Ceremony programs, student directories, the Black Freshman Orientation Handbook, the “Who Are the Irish?” African Americans at Notre Dame Oral History Project, and serial publications like Ebony Side of the Dome. Broader institutional efforts surrounding diversity, minority student recruitment, and academic program development are preserved through reports on minority student enrollment and retention, Task Force on Cultural Diversity materials, and strategic planning documents from the College of Arts and Letters African and African-American Studies Program.
In addition to textual records, the collection contains audio-visual materials, objects, and oversized items, including a VHS tape titled "Who are the Black Alumni of Notre Dame," wooden photo cubes, scrapbooks, and posters for the 1977 Black Cultural Arts Festival.
Dates
- Creation: 1962-2014
- Creation: Majority of material found within 1985-2013
Creator
- Black Alumni of Notre Dame (BA of ND) (Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright status for collection materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
Biographical / Historical
The Black Alumni of Notre Dame (BA of ND) was officially established in June 1989 as a committee of the Notre Dame Alumni Association. Founded by Ben Finley ('60), Herman Hooten ('72), and Richard Ryans ('79), the organization convened its first reunion in 1989, where over 100 Black alumni adopted its by-laws and elected its first set of officers. The group adopted a mission to enhance the presence and experience of Black alumni/ae, students, faculty, and administrators across the University community.
To fulfill this mission, Black Alumni of Notre Dame conducts programs that have resulted in the establishment of on-going networking and mentoring initiatives, supports student recruitment efforts, assists with administrative and faculty hiring efforts, and contributes to University cultural programming. In May 1997, the group commemorated Frazier L. Thompson ('47)—Notre Dame’s first African American graduate—on the 50th anniversary of his graduation by recognizing 50 Distinguished Black Exemplars and 50 Honorable Mentions.
Following its inaugural 1989 gathering, Black Alumni of Notre Dame established a tradition of triennial reunions (including a virtual gathering in 2021). The organization also served as a structural benchmark for the subsequent creation of sister affinity groups, including the Hispanic Alumni of Notre Dame and the Asian-Pacific Alumni of Notre Dame.
Full Extent
1.88 cubic feet (1 record storage box, 1 oversize folder, 3 8" x 8" photo cubes, 1 scrapbook and 1 VHS tape.)
Language of Materials
English
- Author
- Sarah Joswick
- Date
- September 15, 2026
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the University of Notre Dame Archives Repository